


An Unlikely Ally

by Brunhild



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Multi, Vikings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 22:17:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11000148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brunhild/pseuds/Brunhild
Summary: In the hours after Lagertha's death, her newborn son finds an unlikely ally.





	An Unlikely Ally

Ivar used his crutches as he walked into the silent, candlelit room. Ivar looked around the room. This had once been his mother's room. This is the room that Aslaug had given birth to him. This was the room that Aslaug had almost died in giving birth to him. Ironically enough, this was also the room in which Lagertha had died in hours earlier giving birth the child Ragnar had fathered before he left for England for the final time. So the Seer's phophecy had been fulfilled thought Ivar, a son of Ragnar had actually killed Lagertha. Ivar found this rather amusing, so amusing that he laughed out loud. His laughter echoed in the silent room. She was dead. like he wanted her to be. Ivar had always imagined that he would be the one to kill Lagertha. He had thought many days on the ways that he would kill her after he isolated her by herself. Lagertha was finally dead. Good, Ivar thought, now he could concentrate on other things like going back to England to conquer and kill Christians.

The midwife Elisef said that Lagertha died as a result of some complication of childbirth. One of those things related to women that Ivar did not understand and didn't really wish to know. Serves her right thought Ivar. She was too old to have babies anyway. Helga had told Lagertha when she first found about the baby that she should consider her age. Many women had tried what she was trying to do and they died and often their babies died too. Lagertha was hoping to defy fate. Ivar and his brothers figured she was hoping that they would not kill her if she was carrying a child, especially Ragnar's child. She told everyone that the child that she was carrying was a boy. Astrid, Lagertha's partner, thought it was foolish of Lagertha to entertain the notion of carrying another child at her age but she respected Lagertha's decision to carry the child. 

Lagertha's pregnancy was going well until Bjorn came back to Kattegat with the sad news that Ragnar was dead. He had died at the hands of King Aella after being handed over by King Ecbert. This news saddened Lagertha and broke her spirit. She had hoped that Ragnar would come back to Kattegat and they would rule together like they were meant to before Princess Aslaug had destroyed their relationship. After Bjorn's news, Lagertha's health started to decline. She took to the bed. She ate very little and cried often. Astrid and Helga worried about her. Elisef worried as well. Ubbe and Hvirtsek found Lagertha in such a bad way that they backed away from actively planning to kill her. What was the point in killing Lagertha now, let her grieve herself to death over Ragnar. Grief or no grief, Ivar had still wanted Lagertha dead. The deed was finally done. She was gone.

Lagertha's death was music to Ivar's ears but not to his heart. Strange he thought. He had wished for this day many times over. It was finally here but he was not as happy as he thought that he would be. Ivar paused before he made his way over to one of Lagertha's handmaidens holding the baby. The baby was restless and could not be comforted. The handmaiden offered Ivar her seat. He motioned for her to remain seated and took a seat in a large chair by the bed. He lay his crutches on floor out of the way. He told the handmaiden to hand him the child. She hesitated for a brief moment and cautiously handed him the child.  
"Be careful with him Prince Ivar, he is very fragile." Ivar nodded as he took the child from the woman.

Ivar pulled the blanket back. There he was, Lagertha and Ragnar's child, his baby brother. Ivar found himself wanting to hate this baby. No matter how he tried, he couldn't. Instead, Ivar felt an overwhelming sadness for the tiny baby. He didn't know why. The midwife had given him a grim prognosis anyway. The baby had been born over a month early and would probably die, just as well, it would save Bjorn the task of killing the baby or exposing him, reasoned Ivar. Even with the prognosis the baby had, exposing him still felt wrong to Ivar. This made Ivar angry. He looked in the tiny baby's face. His little brother's face. The baby was all alone now just like he was. Ivar had at least known what it was like to experience a mother's hugs and love. He also knew what it was like to receive a father's approval and embrace. This baby would know none of that. Both of his parents were dead before he had even known them. Ragnar would have been happy about having yet another son. Ivar gently rocked the baby and he began to quite down.

Tears came to Ivar's eyes as he held his baby brother. He had hated Lagertha and wanted her dead for taking his mother away from him. He resented Ragnar for leaving him and his brothers when they were small boys. He had to move past those things, this was his baby brother by blood, he had to be protected and cared for. That is just what he planned to do. Ivar noticed that the baby had bright blue eyes like Ragnar, he also had light blonde hair like Lagertha. Even though the baby was very new, he had a restless spirit like Ragnar. Ivar hoped that he would be a fight like both his parents. He would have to be strong. Just then the door opened, the handmaiden exchanged words with a young woman and walked out of the room. 

"Ivar, are you okay?" asked the young woman as she walked over to Ivar's side. She smiled at him and his new brother.  
"Yes wife, I am okay. I came to see my little brother, he seemed upset about something he was giving that handmaiden no peace back here," said Ivar as he smiled and wiped away a tear.  
"So I noticed, I guess he takes after his big brother Ivar already..." said Anifrid as she patted Ivar's knee.  
"You know Ivar, he's probably hungry."  
"We need to find him a nurse then."  
"I can nurse him now Ivar, I had a baby two months ago, remember?" said Anifrid as she reached for the baby. Ivar handed the baby to her and she sat down and began to nurse him. "We will still need to find him a nurse for him for a while because he is early and really needs new mother's milk."  
"Do you have enough milk for two babies? asked Ivar.  
"I believe so, a woman's body usually makes the milk that is needed by the baby or babies. I have seen other women do it." Anifrid began to nurse the baby. The baby struggle to find her breast. He fussed and eventually found his place and began to nurse.  
"He's so small Ivar."  
"I know, be careful with him. Ivar looked over at Anifrid and the baby, "You know that they said that he wouldn't make past birth. Bjorn, Ubbe, Hvirtsek and Sigurd had talked about exposing him. I told them that I would not allow it!"  
"I know that you would not allow it. I would not allow it either."

Ivar saw his wife and his baby brother together. Ivar saw alot of himself in the little boy. The tiny baby was born to struggle. He had no one to advocate for him. Aslaug had been his only advocate when his own father Ragnar had thought it best to expose him. Ivar decided to be his baby brother's advocate. The child needed an ally too. Ivar decided to foster his little brother to adulthood. Ivar smiled as he told Anifrid of his plan. She agreed to help him raise his baby brother.  
"What will his name be then," asked Anifrid as she looked at the sleeping baby.  
"His name will be Agnar, the name means, Ruler with the sword." Ivar looked around his chair and found his crutches. He motioned for Anifrid to follow him back into The Great Hall.  
"I believe our son Erik will enjoy growing up with his uncle. I will raise him and teach him well. He will grow up and be a brave man and will want for nothing in this life. He is going to know that he came from a great bloodline." Anifrid look over at Ivar. She was curious.  
"What about your hatred of Lagertha. Agnar was her son as well as Ragnar's child. She did kill your mother. Can you raise your brother and not hold this against him?"  
"What else can I do Anifrid? Bjorn didn't even want him and Agnar is his own brother not his half brother. Torvi wanted to step forward for the child but he told her no. Bjorn also agreed with the rest of my brothers to expose Agnar. I would never allow it. He is Ragnar's son and my brother. This is what he would have wanted. I can look past the fact that Lagertha was his mother. I would never hold that against him."

Ivar and Anifrid walked into The Great Hall. Anifrid asked Helga to help find a nurse for the baby. Sigurd overheard the two women talking. He decided that he would ask his wife Bethany would she agree to help Ivar with the baby. She had just had a baby three days ago and could probably help. Sigurd went to the room that he and his wife shared to ask her would she help Ivar with the baby. She agreed immediately. Ivar went to the room personally to thank his sister-in-law. After coming back into The Great Hall, Ivar sat down on Ragnar's throne. Anifrid sat down beside him. 

Ivar began to speak. He announced to everyone in The Great Hall of his intention to raise Ragnar and Lagertha's son as his own. He announced that the child's name was going to be Agnar. The crowd cheered. Many people thought that it was tempting fate to name a baby before nine days, especially an early baby. The baby would also have a great feast on his ninth day to celebrate his birth and name. Ivar kept his promise and a great feast was held in the baby's honor. In the weeks ahead, the baby grew stronger each day. In the months that followed, Agnar grew to be a healthy, happy infant well loved by Ivar, Anifrid and his older brothers. In the years that followed, Agnar was joined by Ivar and Anifrid's children, three daughters and four sons, seven nieces and nephews in all. His older brothers held no animosity toward him and regarded him well. 

In time, Agnar joined his older brothers and settled many new lands. Agnar himself brought great fame and fortune to himself and the Viking people. All of his lands and settlements in the North, England and Ireland were prosperous and free of war and strife for many years. After his older brothers had grown old and no longer raided, Agnar always made sure that his brothers were well cared for in old age. Agnar eventually went back to the north with his wife Gyda and ruled Denmark the rest of his days with much of his family by his side.

Agnar, his son Torstein, his nephew Erik and his grandson Leif and their family explored many places. Eventually they went further west and found many new lands. The Vikings eventually found Newfoundland, Iceland, and North America. Agnar's descendents ruled many kingdoms for centuries.


End file.
